In Carndonagh, County Donegal, there is a spinning wheel maker and repairer, Johnny Shiels. His website is here:
www.spinning wheels.ie.
Johnny has followed in his father's footsteps, and also, if I am correct, in the steps of his grandfather. The family featured in the TV series 'Hands' which was filmed by David and Sally Shaw-Smith in the 1980's. Johnny is still spinning and making and repairing spinning wheels in Carndonagh. The wheels from the Shiels workshop have a distinctive look. They turn up occasionally for sale secondhand.
My Johnny Shiels wheel in action, Summer 2017.
The UK has several distributors of spinning wheels. Try Winghams wool work, Frank Herring, PM Woolcraft, The Threshing Barn, Weft Blown, Fibrehut. Now in January 2021, what with Brexit, one has to be aware of Customs and all the other extra charges that could apply.
What brands are available? Ashford Spinning wheels, Lendrum, Kromski, Schacht, Timbertops, Louet, among others.
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| On left above: Ashford Traditional, from 1982, approx and on right, sideview of the Ashford Joy I |
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Buying new does not suit everyone's budget. I keep an eye on www.adverts.ie and on www.donedeal.ie for spinning wheels, but I would not pay some of the crazy prices being asked, like 300 euro or more. For that you can get a new wheel, see below!
Buying secondhand from a website like adverts or donedeal in Ireland has its hazards. You may end up with an incomplete wheel, that will cost a lot to get it ready to spin.
There are wheels that were built as ornaments, which never designed to work as actual spinning wheels.
There are wheels that are extravagant lamps, they look like Spinning wheels, but they were made without vital components, such as the orifice (the opening at the front of the flyer for the spun yarn to go through from the spinner's hands onto the bobbin via the hooks): if there is no orifice, it is very likely that the wheel was not originally built for actual spinning.
There are wheels that are missing vital parts, such as the flyer, (u-shaped piece with hooks), or bobbins; these parts can be almost impossible to find for antique wheels and can be very expensive to have made.
There are old wheels, that are difficult to keep spinning, with rusty hooks, dry wood, tiny orifices suited for spinning linen not wool, and warped drive wheels that stick, or throw the drive band.
There are people, who know nothing about spinning, selling wheels with problems like the above at exorbitant prices.
I would suggest that you always try to get the opinion of an experienced spinner before you part with your hard-earned money. Take somebody with you to try it out or ask for lots of photos and send the photos to an experienced spinner.
There is also the option to turn to the secondhand market or to vendors in UK or in Holland, or further afield.
I have bought secondhand wheels from people selling their wheels on www.ravelry.com, especially in the groups Irish Spinners, UK Spinners and/ or UK Classifieds. Once again, be aware that with Brexit in 2021, we are now liable for customs charges etc for goods purchased from the UK.
I have bought secondhand spinning wheels from Holland from Marianne at www.wolplantage.nl/ger; her site is in German but do not be put off, Marianne speaks English and replies promptly to email enquiries. She mostly sells Dutch wheels, as well as wool, and sometimes hand carders. She will post to Ireland. You could find a Louet S10 wheel on her site sometimes.
I have also bought Dutch wheels from the Dutch equivalent of ebay, ie marktplaats.nl. Here are the hits for Louet on that site. https://www.marktplaats.nl/q/louet/ You would need to look for an ad where the seller says they will Send . You can always send a message to a seller, the messages get translated automatically. Postage for a Louet wheel from Holland to Ireland is about 35 euro, as of summer 2020.
Here is an affordable option for buying a new spinning wheel.
There is a company called Woolmakers.com, a daughter company to the well respected Dutch company, Louet. Woolmakers make and ship a flat pack spinning wheel, called the Bliss. The cost for a single treadle wheel with 3 bobbins and including postage to anywhere in the world is just under 300 euro. You can pay extra to get 3 more bobbins; that is a highly desirable option in my opinion. You can choose a double treadle if you wish, or you can order the conversion kit to convert your Single treadle to a double treadle later on. Here is the link: https://www.woolmakers.com/product/bliss
Keep searching, keep trying out wheels till you find one you can get on with.
Then just keep spinning!
There are wheels that are extravagant lamps, they look like Spinning wheels, but they were made without vital components, such as the orifice (the opening at the front of the flyer for the spun yarn to go through from the spinner's hands onto the bobbin via the hooks): if there is no orifice, it is very likely that the wheel was not originally built for actual spinning.
There are wheels that are missing vital parts, such as the flyer, (u-shaped piece with hooks), or bobbins; these parts can be almost impossible to find for antique wheels and can be very expensive to have made.
There are old wheels, that are difficult to keep spinning, with rusty hooks, dry wood, tiny orifices suited for spinning linen not wool, and warped drive wheels that stick, or throw the drive band.
There are people, who know nothing about spinning, selling wheels with problems like the above at exorbitant prices.
I would suggest that you always try to get the opinion of an experienced spinner before you part with your hard-earned money. Take somebody with you to try it out or ask for lots of photos and send the photos to an experienced spinner.
There is also the option to turn to the secondhand market or to vendors in UK or in Holland, or further afield.
I have bought secondhand wheels from people selling their wheels on www.ravelry.com, especially in the groups Irish Spinners, UK Spinners and/ or UK Classifieds. Once again, be aware that with Brexit in 2021, we are now liable for customs charges etc for goods purchased from the UK.
I have bought secondhand spinning wheels from Holland from Marianne at www.wolplantage.nl/ger; her site is in German but do not be put off, Marianne speaks English and replies promptly to email enquiries. She mostly sells Dutch wheels, as well as wool, and sometimes hand carders. She will post to Ireland. You could find a Louet S10 wheel on her site sometimes.
I have also bought Dutch wheels from the Dutch equivalent of ebay, ie marktplaats.nl. Here are the hits for Louet on that site. https://www.marktplaats.nl/q/louet/ You would need to look for an ad where the seller says they will Send . You can always send a message to a seller, the messages get translated automatically. Postage for a Louet wheel from Holland to Ireland is about 35 euro, as of summer 2020.
Buying New Wheels from European sellers:
Here is an affordable option for buying a new spinning wheel.
There is a company called Woolmakers.com, a daughter company to the well respected Dutch company, Louet. Woolmakers make and ship a flat pack spinning wheel, called the Bliss. The cost for a single treadle wheel with 3 bobbins and including postage to anywhere in the world is just under 300 euro. You can pay extra to get 3 more bobbins; that is a highly desirable option in my opinion. You can choose a double treadle if you wish, or you can order the conversion kit to convert your Single treadle to a double treadle later on. Here is the link: https://www.woolmakers.com/product/bliss
Woolmakers also sell a small and a larger drum-carder, both also in white. https://www.woolmakers.com/products
Here is my Bliss, wearing her 6 bobbins recently.
The Bliss is a great wheel to buy, very adaptable , affordable, tolerates travelling to Guild meetings and friends' houses in the car. I think I have to say that I love my Bliss!!
And of course, one can look at the full range of Louet wheels here , directly from Holland: https://www.louet.nl/product-categorie/spinning-spinning-wheels/?lang=en&v=d2cb7bbc0d23
I have friends who bought spinning wheels from Wollknoll, who sell Ashford wheels and Louet wheels, as well as their own brand Merino wheels: https://www.wollknoll.eu/shop/tools-equipment-machinery-895/spinning-wheels-915/
Here is my Bliss, wearing her 6 bobbins recently.
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| Bliss spinning wheel, www.woolmakers.com |
The Bliss is a great wheel to buy, very adaptable , affordable, tolerates travelling to Guild meetings and friends' houses in the car. I think I have to say that I love my Bliss!!
And of course, one can look at the full range of Louet wheels here , directly from Holland: https://www.louet.nl/product-categorie/spinning-spinning-wheels/?lang=en&v=d2cb7bbc0d23
I have friends who bought spinning wheels from Wollknoll, who sell Ashford wheels and Louet wheels, as well as their own brand Merino wheels: https://www.wollknoll.eu/shop/tools-equipment-machinery-895/spinning-wheels-915/
You can also rent spinning wheels from the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, so you get a chance to try out spinning and perhaps discover what you like to spin and what you like/dislike in a wheel. Contact the Guild here hello@weavespindye.ie
Keep searching, keep trying out wheels till you find one you can get on with.
Then just keep spinning!
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I live in the Irish countryside. I love walking and looking at the sky overhead. I also love spinning! If you have any questions about spinning or any comments about my blog, just let me know by leaving a comment. Thanks.